HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM
SOUTHWEST COLLEGE
HISTORY 1302
COURSE SYLLABUS
Fall 2015
INSTRUCTOR
PHONE
OFFICE HRS
EMAIL
Dr. Gretchen Jackson-Odion
713-718- 2900
12-1:30 M-Thur. or by appointment
gretchen.jackson@hccs.edu
Course Overview:
History 1302 provides students with a general overview of United States history from 1877 to the
present. Emphasis will be placed on how political, economic and social developments from the past
influence our present society.
Course Intent:
This class will offer an approach to United States history, recounting the story of our country by
focusing on the experiences of diverse groups of Americans. Unfortunately, for many students,
history is depicted as a catalog of names, dates and places that is irrelevant to contemporary
society. This course will be primarily taught through a series of lectures, discussions and Web
reading assignments. In addition to the primary teaching methods, accommodative (active)
learning will be included. Activities such as museum assignments, historical debates, historical
video clips and sometimes music will be incorporated into many of the discussions to help you to
analyze and comprehend history.
PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. Create an argument through the use of historical evidence.
2. Analyze and interpret primary and secondary sources.
3. Analyze the effects of historical, social, political, economic, cultural and global forces on this period
of United States history.
4. Understand the importance of chronology and how earlier ideas and events shaped later events
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STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1.
Explain the features of the Gilded Age and the issues on society, culture, and politics
2.
Summarize Industrialism and Urbanization
3.
Analyze the New South and Jim Crow
4.
Explain Populism and Progressivism
5.
Identify the causes and effects of WWI and the US
6.
Discuss America between the wars
7.
Identify the causes of WW2 and the Cold War
8.
Discuss Post-war America at home
9.
Discuss Post-modern America
Textbooks:
James Roark, The American Promise: A History of the United States Vol. II, Fifth Edition.
American Perspectives, Electronic Book Volume II. The access code for this electronic book can
be purchased at the bookstore or directly through Pearson Publishing. URL:
http://www.pearsoncustom.com/tx/hcc_hist1302
Class Policies:
1. While in class, students may not read materials that are irrelevant to the class, talk unless
during discussions, sleep or pass notes.
2. Please TURN OFF cell phones during class and NO TEXTING!!!!
Attendance:
If you accumulate more than six (6) hours of unexcused absences, you may be dropped from this
class.
Tardiness:
I strongly discourage coming late to class because you will miss important information when you
are tardy. It is extremely difficult to understand a lesson when you catch it midway not knowing
how it began. On exam days, if you arrive late (10 minutes) you will not be allowed to take the
exam unless there was an extenuating circumstance. Any student who arrives 10 minutes after
class has begun or leaves before class is dismissed, without prior approval from the
instructor, is considered absent. A total of three violations of either will be equivalent to an
absence.
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Withdrawal:
If you are not performing at a passing level and do not withdraw by the official drop date, you will
receive the grade that you earned. All students who wish to withdraw from the class are
responsible for officially completing the required documents. The last day for student
withdrawal is October 30, before 4:30 p.m. If your name is on the roll at the end of the
semester, you WILL receive a grade. Therefore, I will not automatically give you a “W” if you
stopped attending class. This is an administrative policy that I will strictly enforce.
Exams: Four 4 exams will be given during the semester; that is, 3 exams during the semester and
the final exam. These exams will constitute 60% of your grade. The exams will consist of a
combination of multiple-choice and essay questions from class lectures and the textbook. A
scantron will be required for all exams. A book review from an assigned monograph will constitute
another 25% of your grade. The final 40% of your grade will come one of the following: assigned
articles from the reader, American Perspectives, an assigned monograph or a history portfolio from
assigned topics.
NOTE: This class does require a lot of reading. Therefore, I encourage you to keep up with
the assignments.
Grading: The lowest test grade, excluding the final exam, will be dropped. As a result, there will
not be any make-ups given for missed exams.
Your course grade will be computed as follows:
Three Exams = (20 * 3) = 60%
Project, Articles, Book Review = 40%
NOTE: The articles as well as the requirements for each of the reading assignments will be
given to you during the second week of class.
Letter grades will be assigned as follows:
90 – 100
A
80 – 89
B
70 – 79
C
60 – 69
D
59 and below F
Academic Dishonesty: Any student involved in cheating on an exam will receive a 0 on the exam.
That is the minimum punishment. Your case could be reported to Dean for further punishment
(NO TEXT MESSAGES).
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Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):
Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to
arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the Disability Support Service Counselor, Dr. Becky Hauri (713 7187909) at the beginning of the semester. Faculty members are authorized to provide only the accommodations quested
by the Office of Disability Support Services (DSS). Students who are requesting special testing accommodations must
first contact the office.
EGLS3 -- Evaluation for Greater Learning Student Survey System
At Houston Community College, professors believe that thoughtful student feedback is necessary
to improve teaching and learning. During a designated time, you will be asked to answer a short
online survey of research-based questions related to instruction. The anonymous results of the
survey will be made available to your professors and division chairs for continual improvement of
instruction. Look for the survey as part of the Houston Community College Student System online
near the end of the term.
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COURSE CALENDAR
Week 1
Introduction,
Chapter 17
“The Contested West, 1865-1900”
Week 2
Chapter 18
“Business and Politics in the Gilded Age, 1865-1900”
Week 3
Chapter 19
“The City and Its Workers, 1870-1900”
Week 4
Chapter 20
“Dissent, Depression and War, 1890-1900”
Week 5
Complete Chapter 20
Chapter 21
“Progressivism from the Grass Roots to the White House, 1890-1916”
Week 6
Chapter 22
“World War I: The Progressive Crusade at Home
and Abroad, 1914-1920”
Week 7
Chapter 23
“From New Era to Great Depression, 1920-1932”
Week 8
Chapter 24
“The New Deal Experiment, 1932-1939”
Week 9
Chapter 25
“The United States and the Second World War, 1939-1945”
Week 10
Complete Chapter 25
Week 11
Chapter 26
“Cold War Politics in the Truman Years, 1945-1953”
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Week 12
Chapter 27
“The Politics and Culture of Abundance 1952-1960”
Week 13
Chapter 28
“Reform, Rebellion and Reaction, 1960-1974”
Week14
Chapter 29
“Vietnam and the End of the Cold War Consensus, 1961-1975
Chapter 30
“America Moves to the Right, 1969-1989”
Week 15
Complete chapter 30
Chapter 31
“The Promises and Challenges of Globalization, Since 1989”
Week 16
Final Exam Week
Test Dates:
Exam 1 Chapters 17 - 20, September, 14 & 15
Exam 2 Chapters 21 - 23, October, 12 & 13
Exam 3 Chapters 24 – 1st half of Chapter 27 November, 9 & 10
Final Exam Complete Chapter 27 – 31 December, 7 - 10
Library Days:
September, 21 & 22
October, 26 & 27
NOTE: Late assignments will NOT be accepted without a valid written excuse.
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